Opinion Today: If everything is “trauma,” is anything?

On the pathologizing of everyday behaviors. [View in browser](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRj5j79P4QnAWh0dHBzOi8vbWVzc2FnaW5nLWN1c3RvbS1uZXdzbGV0dGVycy5ueXRpbWVzLmNvbS90ZW1wbGF0ZS9vYWt2Mj9jYW1wYWlnbl9pZD0zOSZlbWM9ZWRpdF90eV8yMDIyMDIwOSZpbnN0YW5jZV9pZD01MjU3OSZubD1vcGluaW9uLXRvZGF5JnByb2R1Y3RDb2RlPVRZJnJlZ2lfaWQ9Nzc2NzQ5NTImc2VnbWVudF9pZD04MjA5MiZ0ZT0xJnVyaT1ueXQlM0ElMkYlMkZuZXdzbGV0dGVyJTJGMjc4YWFlOTUtNjFjMC01M2JlLWEyMGMtMWJiNmUwMTcyMzg2JnVzZXJfaWQ9YWE0OTFlZjdmMWQ5NjRlNDk3OWZiNzg0ZTc0ZTAxZDdXA255dEIKYgH9uQNiq5B_B1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luOTBAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAA)|[nytimes.com](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRj5j79P0SvaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vP2NhbXBhaWduX2lkPTM5JmVtYz1lZGl0X3R5XzIwMjIwMjA5Jmluc3RhbmNlX2lkPTUyNTc5Jm5sPW9waW5pb24tdG9kYXkmcmVnaV9pZD03NzY3NDk1MiZzZWdtZW50X2lkPTgyMDkyJnRlPTEmdXNlcl9pZD1hYTQ5MWVmN2YxZDk2NGU0OTc5ZmI3ODRlNzRlMDFkN1cDbnl0QgpiAf25A2KrkH8HUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW45MEBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~)[Continue reading the main story](#a11y-skip-ad-marquee) ~/AAAAAQA~/RgRj5j79P0RtaHR0cHM6Ly9saXZlaW50ZW50Lm5ld3lvcmt0aW1lc2luZm8uY29tL2NsaWNrP3M9MTYyMTM5JmxpPVRZJm09YWE0OTFlZjdmMWQ5NjRlNDk3OWZiNzg0ZTc0ZTAxZDcmcD1UWV8yMDIyMDIwOVcDbnl0QgpiAf25A2KrkH8HUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW45MEBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~ [Read more from Opinion](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRj5j79P0S-aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vc2VjdGlvbi9vcGluaW9uP2NhbXBhaWduX2lkPTM5JmVtYz1lZGl0X3R5XzIwMjIwMjA5Jmluc3RhbmNlX2lkPTUyNTc5Jm5sPW9waW5pb24tdG9kYXkmcmVnaV9pZD03NzY3NDk1MiZzZWdtZW50X2lkPTgyMDkyJnRlPTEmdXNlcl9pZD1hYTQ5MWVmN2YxZDk2NGU0OTc5ZmI3ODRlNzRlMDFkN1cDbnl0QgpiAf25A2KrkH8HUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW45MEBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~) February 9, 2022 [Author Headshot](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRj5j79P0TBaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vYnkvamVzc2ljYS1iZW5uZXR0P2NhbXBhaWduX2lkPTM5JmVtYz1lZGl0X3R5XzIwMjIwMjA5Jmluc3RhbmNlX2lkPTUyNTc5Jm5sPW9waW5pb24tdG9kYXkmcmVnaV9pZD03NzY3NDk1MiZzZWdtZW50X2lkPTgyMDkyJnRlPTEmdXNlcl9pZD1hYTQ5MWVmN2YxZDk2NGU0OTc5ZmI3ODRlNzRlMDFkN1cDbnl0QgpiAf25A2KrkH8HUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW45MEBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~) By [Jessica Bennett](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRj5j79P0TBaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vYnkvamVzc2ljYS1iZW5uZXR0P2NhbXBhaWduX2lkPTM5JmVtYz1lZGl0X3R5XzIwMjIwMjA5Jmluc3RhbmNlX2lkPTUyNTc5Jm5sPW9waW5pb24tdG9kYXkmcmVnaV9pZD03NzY3NDk1MiZzZWdtZW50X2lkPTgyMDkyJnRlPTEmdXNlcl9pZD1hYTQ5MWVmN2YxZDk2NGU0OTc5ZmI3ODRlNzRlMDFkN1cDbnl0QgpiAf25A2KrkH8HUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW45MEBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~) Contributing Editor I noticed it sporadically at first. I found myself proclaiming to “process” every interaction, even when I had no intention of actually processing. Or maybe I was “setting boundaries” in order to get out of social engagements or accusing my partner of burdening me with the “emotional labor” of cleaning up after dinner — which [isn’t actually emotional labor at all](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRj5j79P4QBAWh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LnRoZWF0bGFudGljLmNvbS9mYW1pbHkvYXJjaGl2ZS8yMDE4LzExL2FybGllLWhvY2hzY2hpbGQtaG91c2V3b3JrLWlzbnQtZW1vdGlvbmFsLWxhYm9yLzU3NjYzNy8_Y2FtcGFpZ25faWQ9MzkmZW1jPWVkaXRfdHlfMjAyMjAyMDkmaW5zdGFuY2VfaWQ9NTI1Nzkmbmw9b3Bpbmlvbi10b2RheSZyZWdpX2lkPTc3Njc0OTUyJnNlZ21lbnRfaWQ9ODIwOTImdGU9MSZ1c2VyX2lkPWFhNDkxZWY3ZjFkOTY0ZTQ5NzlmYjc4NGU3NGUwMWQ3VwNueXRCCmIB_bkDYquQfwdSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjkwQGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAA~~). The terms of psychotherapy had seeped into my everyday speech — and everyone else’s, too. “Anxiety,” which we are indeed [experiencing at record heights](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRj5j79P0TdaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuYXBhLm9yZy9uZXdzL3ByZXNzL3JlbGVhc2VzLzIwMjEvMDIvYWR1bHRzLXN0cmVzcy1wYW5kZW1pYz9jYW1wYWlnbl9pZD0zOSZlbWM9ZWRpdF90eV8yMDIyMDIwOSZpbnN0YW5jZV9pZD01MjU3OSZubD1vcGluaW9uLXRvZGF5JnJlZ2lfaWQ9Nzc2NzQ5NTImc2VnbWVudF9pZD04MjA5MiZ0ZT0xJnVzZXJfaWQ9YWE0OTFlZjdmMWQ5NjRlNDk3OWZiNzg0ZTc0ZTAxZDdXA255dEIKYgH9uQNiq5B_B1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luOTBAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAA), is no longer just a feeling of dread, but a term you can buy printed on a T-shirt to be worn like a badge of honor. Being a perfectionist, or indecisive, or seemingly unable to stop scrolling through Instagram, are not just bad habits, or personality flaws, or something I need to work on in therapy, but “[trauma responses](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRj5j79P0TbaHR0cHM6Ly9zbGF0ZS5jb20vdGVjaG5vbG9neS8yMDIxLzEwL3Rpa3Rvay10cmF1bWEtcmVzcG9uc2Utd2h5Lmh0bWw_Y2FtcGFpZ25faWQ9MzkmZW1jPWVkaXRfdHlfMjAyMjAyMDkmaW5zdGFuY2VfaWQ9NTI1Nzkmbmw9b3Bpbmlvbi10b2RheSZyZWdpX2lkPTc3Njc0OTUyJnNlZ21lbnRfaWQ9ODIwOTImdGU9MSZ1c2VyX2lkPWFhNDkxZWY3ZjFkOTY0ZTQ5NzlmYjc4NGU3NGUwMWQ3VwNueXRCCmIB_bkDYquQfwdSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjkwQGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAA~~)” — and, well, daring to question my trauma would make me feel “emotionally unsafe” (or at least uncomfortable). Meanwhile, the actor Channing Tatum is “[traumatized](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRj5j79P0TtaHR0cHM6Ly92YXJpZXR5LmNvbS8yMDIyL2ZpbG0vbmV3cy9jaGFubmluZy10YXR1bS1tYWdpYy1taWtlLWRvZy1sb3N0LWNpdHktMTIzNTE2ODc4MC8_Y2FtcGFpZ25faWQ9MzkmZW1jPWVkaXRfdHlfMjAyMjAyMDkmaW5zdGFuY2VfaWQ9NTI1Nzkmbmw9b3Bpbmlvbi10b2RheSZyZWdpX2lkPTc3Njc0OTUyJnNlZ21lbnRfaWQ9ODIwOTImdGU9MSZ1c2VyX2lkPWFhNDkxZWY3ZjFkOTY0ZTQ5NzlmYjc4NGU3NGUwMWQ3VwNueXRCCmIB_bkDYquQfwdSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjkwQGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAA~~)” by his X-Men spinoff being called off, so much so that he can no longer watch “The Avengers.” Demi Lovato is a victim of diet culture’s “[harmful messaging](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRj5j79P0T-aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuaW5zaWRlci5jb20vZGVtaS1sb3ZhdG8tYXBvbG9naXplZC1mcm95by1zaG9wLWVhdGluZy1kaXNvcmRlci10cmlnZ2Vycy1mZXVkLXRpbWVsaW5lLTIwMjEtND9jYW1wYWlnbl9pZD0zOSZlbWM9ZWRpdF90eV8yMDIyMDIwOSZpbnN0YW5jZV9pZD01MjU3OSZubD1vcGluaW9uLXRvZGF5JnJlZ2lfaWQ9Nzc2NzQ5NTImc2VnbWVudF9pZD04MjA5MiZ0ZT0xJnVzZXJfaWQ9YWE0OTFlZjdmMWQ5NjRlNDk3OWZiNzg0ZTc0ZTAxZDdXA255dEIKYgH9uQNiq5B_B1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luOTBAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAA)” — because there were sugar-free products at a frozen yogurt shop the singer went to. And the dad on Twitter who documented his refusal to help his young daughter open a can of beans (he became known as “[bean dad](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRj5j79P0TvaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cucmVmaW5lcnkyOS5jb20vZW4tdXMvMjAyMS8wMS8xMDI0NzA3NS93aGF0LWlzLWJlYW4tZGFkLXN0b3J5LXR3aXR0ZXItbWVhbmluZz9jYW1wYWlnbl9pZD0zOSZlbWM9ZWRpdF90eV8yMDIyMDIwOSZpbnN0YW5jZV9pZD01MjU3OSZubD1vcGluaW9uLXRvZGF5JnJlZ2lfaWQ9Nzc2NzQ5NTImc2VnbWVudF9pZD04MjA5MiZ0ZT0xJnVzZXJfaWQ9YWE0OTFlZjdmMWQ5NjRlNDk3OWZiNzg0ZTc0ZTAxZDdXA255dEIKYgH9uQNiq5B_B1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luOTBAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAA)”) is not just a jerk, but an “abuser” — leading to an actual visit from [Child Protective Services](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRj5j79P0TmaHR0cHM6Ly9yZWFzb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMDIvMTYvYmVhbi1kYWQtY2hpbGQtc2VydmljZXMtam9obi1yb2Rlcmljay1jYW4tb3BlbmVyLz9jYW1wYWlnbl9pZD0zOSZlbWM9ZWRpdF90eV8yMDIyMDIwOSZpbnN0YW5jZV9pZD01MjU3OSZubD1vcGluaW9uLXRvZGF5JnJlZ2lfaWQ9Nzc2NzQ5NTImc2VnbWVudF9pZD04MjA5MiZ0ZT0xJnVzZXJfaWQ9YWE0OTFlZjdmMWQ5NjRlNDk3OWZiNzg0ZTc0ZTAxZDdXA255dEIKYgH9uQNiq5B_B1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luOTBAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAA). [Continue reading the main story](#a11y-skip-0) ADVERTISEMENT ~/AAAAAQA~/RgRj5j79P0RsaHR0cHM6Ly9saXZlaW50ZW50Lm5ld3lvcmt0aW1lc2luZm8uY29tL2NsaWNrP3M9NTk3ODUmbGk9VFkmbT1hYTQ5MWVmN2YxZDk2NGU0OTc5ZmI3ODRlNzRlMDFkNyZwPVRZXzIwMjIwMjA5VwNueXRCCmIB_bkDYquQfwdSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjkwQGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAA~~ And then, of course, there is the guy who sent me down this rabbit hole in the first place: [West Elm Caleb](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRj5j79P0ToaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ2F3a2VyLmNvbS9jdWx0dXJlL3dlLXNob3VsZC1raWxsLWNiMi1icmFkLXRoaXMtb25lLWd1eS1pLWhlYXJkLWFib3V0P2NhbXBhaWduX2lkPTM5JmVtYz1lZGl0X3R5XzIwMjIwMjA5Jmluc3RhbmNlX2lkPTUyNTc5Jm5sPW9waW5pb24tdG9kYXkmcmVnaV9pZD03NzY3NDk1MiZzZWdtZW50X2lkPTgyMDkyJnRlPTEmdXNlcl9pZD1hYTQ5MWVmN2YxZDk2NGU0OTc5ZmI3ODRlNzRlMDFkN1cDbnl0QgpiAf25A2KrkH8HUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW45MEBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~) (sorry to bring him up again). Caleb, a 25-year-old furniture designer, sparked viral mania last month after two-timing a bunch of women on Tinder — or, in the language of today, “love bombing,” “gaslighting,” then ghosting them. (For the record, he appears to be [doing just fine](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRj5j79P0S4aHR0cHM6Ly92bS50aWt0b2suY29tL1RUUGRrcG9oYjEvP2NhbXBhaWduX2lkPTM5JmVtYz1lZGl0X3R5XzIwMjIwMjA5Jmluc3RhbmNlX2lkPTUyNTc5Jm5sPW9waW5pb24tdG9kYXkmcmVnaV9pZD03NzY3NDk1MiZzZWdtZW50X2lkPTgyMDkyJnRlPTEmdXNlcl9pZD1hYTQ5MWVmN2YxZDk2NGU0OTc5ZmI3ODRlNzRlMDFkN1cDbnl0QgpiAf25A2KrkH8HUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW45MEBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~).) These are the meme-ified examples, but trauma as the lens through which we view our problems, [as I wrote in a recent piece](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRj5j79P0TsaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMi8wMi8wNC9vcGluaW9uL2NhbGViLWxvdmUtYm9tYmluZy1nYXNsaWdodGluZy10cmF1bWEuaHRtbD9jYW1wYWlnbl9pZD0zOSZlbWM9ZWRpdF90eV8yMDIyMDIwOSZpbnN0YW5jZV9pZD01MjU3OSZubD1vcGluaW9uLXRvZGF5JnJlZ2lfaWQ9Nzc2NzQ5NTImc2VnbWVudF9pZD04MjA5MiZ0ZT0xJnVzZXJfaWQ9YWE0OTFlZjdmMWQ5NjRlNDk3OWZiNzg0ZTc0ZTAxZDdXA255dEIKYgH9uQNiq5B_B1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luOTBAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAA), is all around us: In the form of instructional Instagram videos teaching us how to spot “narcissistic” behavior; on #traumatok, a TikTok hashtag with some 600 million views (not to be confused with #narctok, for narcissism, which has 1.8 billion); in the fact that the sharing of one’s trauma is so ubiquitous that it now has a name: “[trauma dumping](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRj5j79P0TKaHR0cHM6Ly9tYXNoYWJsZS5jb20vYXJ0aWNsZS93aGF0LWlzLXRyYXVtYS1kdW1waW5nP2NhbXBhaWduX2lkPTM5JmVtYz1lZGl0X3R5XzIwMjIwMjA5Jmluc3RhbmNlX2lkPTUyNTc5Jm5sPW9waW5pb24tdG9kYXkmcmVnaV9pZD03NzY3NDk1MiZzZWdtZW50X2lkPTgyMDkyJnRlPTEmdXNlcl9pZD1hYTQ5MWVmN2YxZDk2NGU0OTc5ZmI3ODRlNzRlMDFkN1cDbnl0QgpiAf25A2KrkH8HUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW45MEBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~).” Seriously, what is going on? I am not the first person [notice](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRj5j79P0ToaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cudm94LmNvbS90aGUtaGlnaGxpZ2h0LzIyODc2NTIyL3RyYXVtYS1jb3ZpZC13b3JkLW9yaWdpbi1tZW50YWwtaGVhbHRoP2NhbXBhaWduX2lkPTM5JmVtYz1lZGl0X3R5XzIwMjIwMjA5Jmluc3RhbmNlX2lkPTUyNTc5Jm5sPW9waW5pb24tdG9kYXkmcmVnaV9pZD03NzY3NDk1MiZzZWdtZW50X2lkPTgyMDkyJnRlPTEmdXNlcl9pZD1hYTQ5MWVmN2YxZDk2NGU0OTc5ZmI3ODRlNzRlMDFkN1cDbnl0QgpiAf25A2KrkH8HUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW45MEBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~) [this](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRj5j79P0TjaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubmV3eW9ya2VyLmNvbS9jdWx0dXJlL2N1bHR1cmFsLWNvbW1lbnQvdGhlLXJpc2Utb2YtdGhlcmFweS1zcGVhaz9jYW1wYWlnbl9pZD0zOSZlbWM9ZWRpdF90eV8yMDIyMDIwOSZpbnN0YW5jZV9pZD01MjU3OSZubD1vcGluaW9uLXRvZGF5JnJlZ2lfaWQ9Nzc2NzQ5NTImc2VnbWVudF9pZD04MjA5MiZ0ZT0xJnVzZXJfaWQ9YWE0OTFlZjdmMWQ5NjRlNDk3OWZiNzg0ZTc0ZTAxZDdXA255dEIKYgH9uQNiq5B_B1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luOTBAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAA) [phenomenon](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRj5j79P0TlaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubmV3eW9ya2VyLmNvbS9tYWdhemluZS8yMDIyLzAxLzAzL3RoZS1jYXNlLWFnYWluc3QtdGhlLXRyYXVtYS1wbG90P2NhbXBhaWduX2lkPTM5JmVtYz1lZGl0X3R5XzIwMjIwMjA5Jmluc3RhbmNlX2lkPTUyNTc5Jm5sPW9waW5pb24tdG9kYXkmcmVnaV9pZD03NzY3NDk1MiZzZWdtZW50X2lkPTgyMDkyJnRlPTEmdXNlcl9pZD1hYTQ5MWVmN2YxZDk2NGU0OTc5ZmI3ODRlNzRlMDFkN1cDbnl0QgpiAf25A2KrkH8HUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW45MEBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~); and indeed, psychologists have been lamenting it for longer. But it was fascinating to connect the dots between the popularity of such language — much of it playing out online — and algorithms that reward it. Are we all being subconsciously incentivized to overstate our own harm? [You can read my full piece here.](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRj5j79P0TsaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMi8wMi8wNC9vcGluaW9uL2NhbGViLWxvdmUtYm9tYmluZy1nYXNsaWdodGluZy10cmF1bWEuaHRtbD9jYW1wYWlnbl9pZD0zOSZlbWM9ZWRpdF90eV8yMDIyMDIwOSZpbnN0YW5jZV9pZD01MjU3OSZubD1vcGluaW9uLXRvZGF5JnJlZ2lfaWQ9Nzc2NzQ5NTImc2VnbWVudF9pZD04MjA5MiZ0ZT0xJnVzZXJfaWQ9YWE0OTFlZjdmMWQ5NjRlNDk3OWZiNzg0ZTc0ZTAxZDdXA255dEIKYgH9uQNiq5B_B1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luOTBAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAA) [[Article Image] Janet Mac](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRj5j79P0TsaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMi8wMi8wNC9vcGluaW9uL2NhbGViLWxvdmUtYm9tYmluZy1nYXNsaWdodGluZy10cmF1bWEuaHRtbD9jYW1wYWlnbl9pZD0zOSZlbWM9ZWRpdF90eV8yMDIyMDIwOSZpbnN0YW5jZV9pZD01MjU3OSZubD1vcGluaW9uLXRvZGF5JnJlZ2lfaWQ9Nzc2NzQ5NTImc2VnbWVudF9pZD04MjA5MiZ0ZT0xJnVzZXJfaWQ9YWE0OTFlZjdmMWQ5NjRlNDk3OWZiNzg0ZTc0ZTAxZDdXA255dEIKYgH9uQNiq5B_B1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luOTBAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAA) [If Everything Is ‘Trauma,’ Is Anything? “Love bombing,” “gaslighting,” “emotional labor.” On the pathologizing of everyday behaviors. By Jessica Bennett](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRj5j79P0TsaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMi8wMi8wNC9vcGluaW9uL2NhbGViLWxvdmUtYm9tYmluZy1nYXNsaWdodGluZy10cmF1bWEuaHRtbD9jYW1wYWlnbl9pZD0zOSZlbWM9ZWRpdF90eV8yMDIyMDIwOSZpbnN0YW5jZV9pZD01MjU3OSZubD1vcGluaW9uLXRvZGF5JnJlZ2lfaWQ9Nzc2NzQ5NTImc2VnbWVudF9pZD04MjA5MiZ0ZT0xJnVzZXJfaWQ9YWE0OTFlZjdmMWQ5NjRlNDk3OWZiNzg0ZTc0ZTAxZDdXA255dEIKYgH9uQNiq5B_B1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luOTBAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAA) [Continue reading the main story](#a11y-skip-1) ADVERTISEMENT ~/AAAAAQA~/RgRj5j79P0RtaHR0cHM6Ly9saXZlaW50ZW50Lm5ld3lvcmt0aW1lc2luZm8uY29tL2NsaWNrP3M9MjAxODEyJmxpPVRZJm09YWE0OTFlZjdmMWQ5NjRlNDk3OWZiNzg0ZTc0ZTAxZDcmcD1UWV8yMDIyMDIwOVcDbnl0QgpiAf25A2KrkH8HUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW45MEBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~ Here’s what we’re focusing on today: Editors’ Picks [michelle cottle When Did Republicans Turn Into a Bunch of Snowflakes? The Senate’s posturing over qualified nominees has got to stop. By Michelle Cottle](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRj5j79P0TjaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMi8wMi8wOC9vcGluaW9uL2RlYm9yYWgtbGlwc3RhZHQtcm9uLWpvaG5zb24uaHRtbD9jYW1wYWlnbl9pZD0zOSZlbWM9ZWRpdF90eV8yMDIyMDIwOSZpbnN0YW5jZV9pZD01MjU3OSZubD1vcGluaW9uLXRvZGF5JnJlZ2lfaWQ9Nzc2NzQ5NTImc2VnbWVudF9pZD04MjA5MiZ0ZT0xJnVzZXJfaWQ9YWE0OTFlZjdmMWQ5NjRlNDk3OWZiNzg0ZTc0ZTAxZDdXA255dEIKYgH9uQNiq5B_B1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luOTBAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAA) [Article Image](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRj5j79P0TjaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMi8wMi8wOC9vcGluaW9uL2RlYm9yYWgtbGlwc3RhZHQtcm9uLWpvaG5zb24uaHRtbD9jYW1wYWlnbl9pZD0zOSZlbWM9ZWRpdF90eV8yMDIyMDIwOSZpbnN0YW5jZV9pZD01MjU3OSZubD1vcGluaW9uLXRvZGF5JnJlZ2lfaWQ9Nzc2NzQ5NTImc2VnbWVudF9pZD04MjA5MiZ0ZT0xJnVzZXJfaWQ9YWE0OTFlZjdmMWQ5NjRlNDk3OWZiNzg0ZTc0ZTAxZDdXA255dEIKYgH9uQNiq5B_B1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luOTBAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAA) On the News [Guest Essay A Runaway Supreme Court Fails Black Voters in Alabama The voting rights decision is further evidence of an impatient conservative majority. By Linda Greenhouse](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRj5j79P0TiaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMi8wMi8wOS9vcGluaW9uL3N1cHJlbWUtY291cnQtdm90aW5nLXJpZ2h0cy5odG1sP2NhbXBhaWduX2lkPTM5JmVtYz1lZGl0X3R5XzIwMjIwMjA5Jmluc3RhbmNlX2lkPTUyNTc5Jm5sPW9waW5pb24tdG9kYXkmcmVnaV9pZD03NzY3NDk1MiZzZWdtZW50X2lkPTgyMDkyJnRlPTEmdXNlcl9pZD1hYTQ5MWVmN2YxZDk2NGU0OTc5ZmI3ODRlNzRlMDFkN1cDbnl0QgpiAf25A2KrkH8HUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW45MEBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~) [Article Image](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRj5j79P0TiaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMi8wMi8wOS9vcGluaW9uL3N1cHJlbWUtY291cnQtdm90aW5nLXJpZ2h0cy5odG1sP2NhbXBhaWduX2lkPTM5JmVtYz1lZGl0X3R5XzIwMjIwMjA5Jmluc3RhbmNlX2lkPTUyNTc5Jm5sPW9waW5pb24tdG9kYXkmcmVnaV9pZD03NzY3NDk1MiZzZWdtZW50X2lkPTgyMDkyJnRlPTEmdXNlcl9pZD1hYTQ5MWVmN2YxZDk2NGU0OTc5ZmI3ODRlNzRlMDFkN1cDbnl0QgpiAf25A2KrkH8HUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW45MEBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~) [Thomas L. Friedman America 2022: Where Everyone Has Rights and No One Has Responsibilities The Neil Young-Joe Rogan-Spotify dust-up isn’t about just freedom of speech. By Thomas L. Friedman](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRj5j79P0TqaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMi8wMi8wOC9vcGluaW9uL3Nwb3RpZnktam9lLXJvZ2FuLWNvdmlkLWZyZWUtc3BlZWNoLmh0bWw_Y2FtcGFpZ25faWQ9MzkmZW1jPWVkaXRfdHlfMjAyMjAyMDkmaW5zdGFuY2VfaWQ9NTI1Nzkmbmw9b3Bpbmlvbi10b2RheSZyZWdpX2lkPTc3Njc0OTUyJnNlZ21lbnRfaWQ9ODIwOTImdGU9MSZ1c2VyX2lkPWFhNDkxZWY3ZjFkOTY0ZTQ5NzlmYjc4NGU3NGUwMWQ3VwNueXRCCmIB_bkDYquQfwdSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjkwQGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAA~~) [Article Image](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRj5j79P0TqaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMi8wMi8wOC9vcGluaW9uL3Nwb3RpZnktam9lLXJvZ2FuLWNvdmlkLWZyZWUtc3BlZWNoLmh0bWw_Y2FtcGFpZ25faWQ9MzkmZW1jPWVkaXRfdHlfMjAyMjAyMDkmaW5zdGFuY2VfaWQ9NTI1Nzkmbmw9b3Bpbmlvbi10b2RheSZyZWdpX2lkPTc3Njc0OTUyJnNlZ21lbnRfaWQ9ODIwOTImdGU9MSZ1c2VyX2lkPWFhNDkxZWY3ZjFkOTY0ZTQ5NzlmYjc4NGU3NGUwMWQ3VwNueXRCCmIB_bkDYquQfwdSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjkwQGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAA~~) [Guest Essay Whoopi Goldberg Apologized: Punishing Her Further Is Un-Jewish The better answer in these situations is obvious, but not easy: education, education, education. By Nathan Hersh](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRj5j79P0TnaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMi8wMi8wOS9vcGluaW9uL3dob29waS1nb2xkYmVyZy10aGUtdmlldy1hcG9sb2d5Lmh0bWw_Y2FtcGFpZ25faWQ9MzkmZW1jPWVkaXRfdHlfMjAyMjAyMDkmaW5zdGFuY2VfaWQ9NTI1Nzkmbmw9b3Bpbmlvbi10b2RheSZyZWdpX2lkPTc3Njc0OTUyJnNlZ21lbnRfaWQ9ODIwOTImdGU9MSZ1c2VyX2lkPWFhNDkxZWY3ZjFkOTY0ZTQ5NzlmYjc4NGU3NGUwMWQ3VwNueXRCCmIB_bkDYquQfwdSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjkwQGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAA~~) [Article Image](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRj5j79P0TnaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMi8wMi8wOS9vcGluaW9uL3dob29waS1nb2xkYmVyZy10aGUtdmlldy1hcG9sb2d5Lmh0bWw_Y2FtcGFpZ25faWQ9MzkmZW1jPWVkaXRfdHlfMjAyMjAyMDkmaW5zdGFuY2VfaWQ9NTI1Nzkmbmw9b3Bpbmlvbi10b2RheSZyZWdpX2lkPTc3Njc0OTUyJnNlZ21lbnRfaWQ9ODIwOTImdGU9MSZ1c2VyX2lkPWFhNDkxZWY3ZjFkOTY0ZTQ5NzlmYjc4NGU3NGUwMWQ3VwNueXRCCmIB_bkDYquQfwdSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjkwQGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAA~~) Ideas [Guest Essay Status Anxiety Is Blowing Wind Into Trump’s Sails The adverse economic developments resulting from trade imports that produced a sharp shift to the right are still wreaking political havoc. By Thomas B. Edsall](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRj5j79P0TbaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMi8wMi8wOS9vcGluaW9uL3RydW1wLXN0YXR1cy1hbnhpZXR5Lmh0bWw_Y2FtcGFpZ25faWQ9MzkmZW1jPWVkaXRfdHlfMjAyMjAyMDkmaW5zdGFuY2VfaWQ9NTI1Nzkmbmw9b3Bpbmlvbi10b2RheSZyZWdpX2lkPTc3Njc0OTUyJnNlZ21lbnRfaWQ9ODIwOTImdGU9MSZ1c2VyX2lkPWFhNDkxZWY3ZjFkOTY0ZTQ5NzlmYjc4NGU3NGUwMWQ3VwNueXRCCmIB_bkDYquQfwdSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjkwQGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAA~~) [Article Image](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRj5j79P0TbaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMi8wMi8wOS9vcGluaW9uL3RydW1wLXN0YXR1cy1hbnhpZXR5Lmh0bWw_Y2FtcGFpZ25faWQ9MzkmZW1jPWVkaXRfdHlfMjAyMjAyMDkmaW5zdGFuY2VfaWQ9NTI1Nzkmbmw9b3Bpbmlvbi10b2RheSZyZWdpX2lkPTc3Njc0OTUyJnNlZ21lbnRfaWQ9ODIwOTImdGU9MSZ1c2VyX2lkPWFhNDkxZWY3ZjFkOTY0ZTQ5NzlmYjc4NGU3NGUwMWQ3VwNueXRCCmIB_bkDYquQfwdSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjkwQGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAA~~) [Paul Krugman When Do We Need New Economic Theories? A bad forecast isn’t the same as an intellectual crisis. By Paul Krugman](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRj5j79P0TmaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMi8wMi8wOC9vcGluaW9uL2Vjb25vbWljLXRoZW9yeS1tb25ldGFyeS1wb2xpY3kuaHRtbD9jYW1wYWlnbl9pZD0zOSZlbWM9ZWRpdF90eV8yMDIyMDIwOSZpbnN0YW5jZV9pZD01MjU3OSZubD1vcGluaW9uLXRvZGF5JnJlZ2lfaWQ9Nzc2NzQ5NTImc2VnbWVudF9pZD04MjA5MiZ0ZT0xJnVzZXJfaWQ9YWE0OTFlZjdmMWQ5NjRlNDk3OWZiNzg0ZTc0ZTAxZDdXA255dEIKYgH9uQNiq5B_B1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luOTBAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAA) [Article Image](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRj5j79P0TmaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMi8wMi8wOC9vcGluaW9uL2Vjb25vbWljLXRoZW9yeS1tb25ldGFyeS1wb2xpY3kuaHRtbD9jYW1wYWlnbl9pZD0zOSZlbWM9ZWRpdF90eV8yMDIyMDIwOSZpbnN0YW5jZV9pZD01MjU3OSZubD1vcGluaW9uLXRvZGF5JnJlZ2lfaWQ9Nzc2NzQ5NTImc2VnbWVudF9pZD04MjA5MiZ0ZT0xJnVzZXJfaWQ9YWE0OTFlZjdmMWQ5NjRlNDk3OWZiNzg0ZTc0ZTAxZDdXA255dEIKYgH9uQNiq5B_B1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luOTBAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAA) [Jessica Grose Book Banning Is About the Illusion of Parental Control If students really want to read “Maus,” they’ll find a way. By Jessica Grose](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRj5j79P0TbaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMi8wMi8wOS9vcGluaW9uL2Jvb2stYmFubmluZy1wYXJlbnRzLmh0bWw_Y2FtcGFpZ25faWQ9MzkmZW1jPWVkaXRfdHlfMjAyMjAyMDkmaW5zdGFuY2VfaWQ9NTI1Nzkmbmw9b3Bpbmlvbi10b2RheSZyZWdpX2lkPTc3Njc0OTUyJnNlZ21lbnRfaWQ9ODIwOTImdGU9MSZ1c2VyX2lkPWFhNDkxZWY3ZjFkOTY0ZTQ5NzlmYjc4NGU3NGUwMWQ3VwNueXRCCmIB_bkDYquQfwdSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjkwQGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAA~~) [Article Image](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRj5j79P0TbaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMi8wMi8wOS9vcGluaW9uL2Jvb2stYmFubmluZy1wYXJlbnRzLmh0bWw_Y2FtcGFpZ25faWQ9MzkmZW1jPWVkaXRfdHlfMjAyMjAyMDkmaW5zdGFuY2VfaWQ9NTI1Nzkmbmw9b3Bpbmlvbi10b2RheSZyZWdpX2lkPTc3Njc0OTUyJnNlZ21lbnRfaWQ9ODIwOTImdGU9MSZ1c2VyX2lkPWFhNDkxZWY3ZjFkOTY0ZTQ5NzlmYjc4NGU3NGUwMWQ3VwNueXRCCmIB_bkDYquQfwdSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjkwQGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAA~~) [John McWhorter English Is a Living Language — Period The use of quotation marks for emphasis is an innovation, not a corruption. By John McWhorter](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRj5j79P0TTaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMi8wMi8wOC9vcGluaW9uL294Zm9yZC1jb21tYS5odG1sP2NhbXBhaWduX2lkPTM5JmVtYz1lZGl0X3R5XzIwMjIwMjA5Jmluc3RhbmNlX2lkPTUyNTc5Jm5sPW9waW5pb24tdG9kYXkmcmVnaV9pZD03NzY3NDk1MiZzZWdtZW50X2lkPTgyMDkyJnRlPTEmdXNlcl9pZD1hYTQ5MWVmN2YxZDk2NGU0OTc5ZmI3ODRlNzRlMDFkN1cDbnl0QgpiAf25A2KrkH8HUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW45MEBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~) [Article Image](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRj5j79P0TTaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMi8wMi8wOC9vcGluaW9uL294Zm9yZC1jb21tYS5odG1sP2NhbXBhaWduX2lkPTM5JmVtYz1lZGl0X3R5XzIwMjIwMjA5Jmluc3RhbmNlX2lkPTUyNTc5Jm5sPW9waW5pb24tdG9kYXkmcmVnaV9pZD03NzY3NDk1MiZzZWdtZW50X2lkPTgyMDkyJnRlPTEmdXNlcl9pZD1hYTQ5MWVmN2YxZDk2NGU0OTc5ZmI3ODRlNzRlMDFkN1cDbnl0QgpiAf25A2KrkH8HUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW45MEBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~) [Spencer Bokat-Lindell In the ‘Genocide Olympics,’ Are We All Complicit? China’s repression of Uighur Muslims looms large over the Games. What should participants — viewers included — do about it? By Spencer Bokat-Lindell](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRj5j79P0TfaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMi8wMi8wOC9vcGluaW9uL29seW1waWNzLWJlaWppbmctdWlnaHVycy5odG1sP2NhbXBhaWduX2lkPTM5JmVtYz1lZGl0X3R5XzIwMjIwMjA5Jmluc3RhbmNlX2lkPTUyNTc5Jm5sPW9waW5pb24tdG9kYXkmcmVnaV9pZD03NzY3NDk1MiZzZWdtZW50X2lkPTgyMDkyJnRlPTEmdXNlcl9pZD1hYTQ5MWVmN2YxZDk2NGU0OTc5ZmI3ODRlNzRlMDFkN1cDbnl0QgpiAf25A2KrkH8HUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW45MEBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~) [Article Image](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRj5j79P0TfaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMi8wMi8wOC9vcGluaW9uL29seW1waWNzLWJlaWppbmctdWlnaHVycy5odG1sP2NhbXBhaWduX2lkPTM5JmVtYz1lZGl0X3R5XzIwMjIwMjA5Jmluc3RhbmNlX2lkPTUyNTc5Jm5sPW9waW5pb24tdG9kYXkmcmVnaV9pZD03NzY3NDk1MiZzZWdtZW50X2lkPTgyMDkyJnRlPTEmdXNlcl9pZD1hYTQ5MWVmN2YxZDk2NGU0OTc5ZmI3ODRlNzRlMDFkN1cDbnl0QgpiAf25A2KrkH8HUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW45MEBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~) [Continue reading the main story](#a11y-skip-2) ADVERTISEMENT ~/AAAAAQA~/RgRj5j79P0RtaHR0cHM6Ly9saXZlaW50ZW50Lm5ld3lvcmt0aW1lc2luZm8uY29tL2NsaWNrP3M9NzI2NTM3JmxpPVRZJm09YWE0OTFlZjdmMWQ5NjRlNDk3OWZiNzg0ZTc0ZTAxZDcmcD1UWV8yMDIyMDIwOVcDbnl0QgpiAf25A2KrkH8HUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW45MEBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~ Opinion Audio [Affirmative Action Isn’t Perfect. Should We Keep It Anyway? A debate on the racial equity policy that shapes college admissions in America. By ‘The Argument’](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRj5j79P0TmaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMi8wMi8wOS9vcGluaW9uL2FmZmlybWF0aXZlLWFjdGlvbi10aGUtYXJndW1lbnQuaHRtbD9jYW1wYWlnbl9pZD0zOSZlbWM9ZWRpdF90eV8yMDIyMDIwOSZpbnN0YW5jZV9pZD01MjU3OSZubD1vcGluaW9uLXRvZGF5JnJlZ2lfaWQ9Nzc2NzQ5NTImc2VnbWVudF9pZD04MjA5MiZ0ZT0xJnVzZXJfaWQ9YWE0OTFlZjdmMWQ5NjRlNDk3OWZiNzg0ZTc0ZTAxZDdXA255dEIKYgH9uQNiq5B_B1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luOTBAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAA) [Article Image](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRj5j79P0TmaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMi8wMi8wOS9vcGluaW9uL2FmZmlybWF0aXZlLWFjdGlvbi10aGUtYXJndW1lbnQuaHRtbD9jYW1wYWlnbl9pZD0zOSZlbWM9ZWRpdF90eV8yMDIyMDIwOSZpbnN0YW5jZV9pZD01MjU3OSZubD1vcGluaW9uLXRvZGF5JnJlZ2lfaWQ9Nzc2NzQ5NTImc2VnbWVudF9pZD04MjA5MiZ0ZT0xJnVzZXJfaWQ9YWE0OTFlZjdmMWQ5NjRlNDk3OWZiNzg0ZTc0ZTAxZDdXA255dEIKYgH9uQNiq5B_B1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luOTBAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAA) What You’re Saying [letters Help! Sharing Stories of an Obsession With the Beatles Readers have strong feelings about the Fab Four. 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